Dale will meet a new referee on Saturday when Chris Pollard takes charge of their long trip to Gillingham.

The Bury St Edmunds official is in his second season on the National List and has so far avoided being appointed to any of our games.

However, Chris has refereed two previous Gillingham matches, including their Carabao Cup tie at home to Southend back in September.

Promoted from the National League at the end of the 2018/19 campaign, Pollard began his EFL life at Mansfield v Morecambe in August 2019.

He continued to referee throughout League One and League Two last season, as well as in the EFL Trophy and FA Cup, with his 23 matches seeing 72 yellow cards and two reds.

So far this term Chris has overseen 14 games (58 yellow cards, six reds), with his most recent appointment being Walsall v Oldham last Saturday.

Photo: Action Images

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